Home delivery is a fiercely competitive market, irrespective of what services one might provide. Companies, big and small, are pushing for faster home deliveries with one-day, one-hour and even faster deliveries. Going hyper local in this competitive space is the new UK-based online grocery shopping startup Weezy, which claims to offer blazing fast 15-minute deliveries. The company launched out of the blue after quietly acquiring notable funding in a pre-seed round.
Hyper-local 15 minute home deliveries
Weezy is a home delivery startup that delivers groceries, home supplies, over-the-counter medicines and more. What’s more? the it promises to do so in merely 15 odd minutes from when you place the order. Currently, the company is introducing its home delivery services in London’s opulent Fulham and Chelsea districts. Users in the two districts can use the Weezy app to place an order, which will be picked and packed at the company’s own fulfilment centre, before being delivered on electric scooters or bicycles within 15 minutes.
Weezy is offering its services between 10AM and 10PM every day and it charges £2.95 (€3.28) for delivery. As per a TechCrunch report, the company sources its groceries for deliveries not only from wholesalers but also from local independent bakers, butchers and markets. This is Weezy’s bit in supporting local businesses. The company is reportedly planning to open 15 more fulfillment stores across London by the end of next year, before expanding to other regions in the UK.
“No other service delivers as quickly,” says Weezy CEO and co-founder Van Beveren. “Our hyperlocal fulfilment centre model works since we are able to optimise the space for fast picking and packing while having low property and fit-out costs, thereby keeping prices in check. This, coupled with our in-house team of riders, allows us to offer the fastest and friendliest grocery delivery service. And, compared to convenience stores, Weezy has better pricing and a broader and more premium range of products”.
Quiet funding, big impact
Weezy might just be starting out but time will tell if the promise of 15-minute home delivery entices consumers. In order to launch its services, the company also secured £1 million (€1.11 million) in pre-seed funding from Heartcore Capital. Other backers who invested in the startup are made up of former executives of Ocado, Tesco, Sainsbury’s Chop Chop and Deliveroo.
The startup was founded last year by co-founders Kristof Van Beveren and Alec Dent. The duo feel there’s a market gap for a hyper-local online grocery delivery service that targets “time-poor professionals and parents” who need zippy on-demand service without it being exorbitant.
In comparison with Weezy’s services, Beveren notes that Sainsbury’s Chop Chop takes around 60 minutes to deliver, while outsourcing delivery to courier company Stuart. Additionally, Amazon Prime Now promises to deliver within 1-2 hours via Morrisons and utilises its own warehouses, while Amazon Fresh in London offers same or next day delivery.
“Next to speed, we have a full range of carefully curated products and pricing in line with recommended retail prices,” adds Weezy co-founder and COO Dent. “We also only use electric vehicles or bicycles for deliveries. We are committed to creating a supportive culture and the best working conditions for our team of riders, who are also trained to work in the fulfilment centre, and offered opportunities for career progression. Happy staff make happy customers”.
Main image credits: Weezy